To: U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, & Technology
Thank you, Chairman Smith, Ranking Member Johnson, and members of the Committee. I am Karen Harbert, president and CEO of the Institute for 21st Century Energy (Institute), an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than three million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations, and dedicated to promoting, protecting, and defending America’s free enterprise system.
The mission of the Institute is to unify policymakers, regulators, business leaders, and the American public behind common sense energy strategy to help keep America secure, prosperous, and clean. In that regard we hope to be of service to this Committee, this Congress as a whole, and the administration.
There are four main points I wish to make regarding the Obama Administration’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) and related issues:
- The U.S. INDC Lacks Basic Information to Allow a Rigorous Assessment of the Goal
- The Commitments are Hugely Unequal
- The Administration’s Plan is “All Pain . . .
- . . . No Gain”—U.S. Industries and Emissions will Just “Leak” to Other Countries